


Whereupon My Co-Counsel Had Some Explaining To Do

by psiten



Series: SASO 2015 Fills [25]
Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: Akira is an overdramatic dork, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, M/M, Pre-Trial Procedures, References to Alcohol, References to Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 10:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4742789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psiten/pseuds/psiten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>As much as he liked Akira, and planned on a long career together as fellow partners at Touya and Ogata, in many ways he was still the competition. Losing out on interesting cases to a prodigy kid was no lawyer's idea of a good way to retire.</p>
</blockquote><p>Crosspost from the 2015 Sports Anime Shipping Olympics, *Bonus* Bonus Round. <a href="http://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/7182.html?thread=2616334#cmt2616334">aptly_poetic</a> requested a Lawyer AU with Ogata & Akira, featuring mentor Ogata! And boy does Akira need a mentor to keep him pointed in the right direction this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Whereupon My Co-Counsel Had Some Explaining To Do

     Mr. Touya's son -- Akira, whom he'd watched grow from a tyke playing with case files to a proper Harvard graduate -- was standing prim and stiff by his desk, binders of exhibits stacked and labeled, fire burning in his eyes. He'd make junior partner not long after he started leading on arguments in court -- assuming the cases he worked stopped settling during discovery, thanks to the kid's knack for making even veteran lawyers feel the heat. It was possible Akira was doing himself a disservice by showing how fierce he could be in the conference room, before he got to judicial chambers. Ogata didn't plan to mention it. He never passed up the opportunity to study his competition up close.

     As much as he liked Akira, and planned on a long career together as fellow partners at Touya and Ogata, in many ways he was still the competition. Losing out on interesting cases to a prodigy kid was no lawyer's idea of a good way to retire.

     "I assume everything is in order, Akira?"

     "Yes, Mr. Ogata. I'm sure we'll get some critical testimony on this evidence today. Mr. Kuwabara will have been aware of every circumstance under which the defendant left our client's employ."

     "Let's go over the previous witnesses' statements until the old man gets here. I don't want anything slipping through the cracks."

     "Yes, sir."

     Half an hour of silent reading later, Harumi knocked to say their witness had arrived. Kuwabara was in the lobby, ornery as ever. He may have been privy to the details of the defendant Ms. Umezawa Yukari's departure, but that didn't mean he'd be cooperative. Ogata had been assigned to IGO Corp's suits long enough to know how much Kuwabara hated non-compete contracts. This was one witness they'd have to trap, on the record, irrefutably, if they wanted to prove that Ms. Umezawa had accepted employment before the duration of her non-compete period was over.

     Kuwabara was, in fact, one of Ogata's least favorite people.

     He smiled, holding out his hand. "Mr. Kuwabara! Nice to see you again. You've met Touya Akira before?"

     "You can cut the bullshit, sonny. We're both here to do a job," the old geezer cackled. "So this is little Akira, all grown up, huh?"

     Akira silently shook the man's hand, not rising to the 'little Akira' comment, Ogata was glad to see. "Mr. Touya will be assisting with the case. Let me take you to the conference room."

     "As if I didn't know the way. Where's old Zama, anyhow? You know I'm not saying anything without opposing counsel being here."

     "Fashionably late, I'm sure. Why don't you take a seat?"

     As he took the chair opposite the videographer's camera and poured himself a cup of tea, Hirumi walked in the door, quick steps made desperately calm like she was trying to pretend nothing was wrong. Deposing Kuwabara was enough of a problem as it was. He could have done without more. But he nodded for her to whisper in his ear, game face set for the world to see.

     "It's Mr. Zama, sir. Matsukawa and Associates called to say there's been an accident. He had an incident on the way here, and the paramedics are saying he should expect to be in the hospital for the next week."

     "Well, is Matsukawa sending a replacement, or do we have to reschedule?"

     "Replacement, Mr. Ogata. He should be here within a half hour."

     "Excellent. Card and gift basket?"

     "Already ordered, sir."

     "Thank you, Harumi." She left as fast as she came, and he cleared his throat to get the room's attention. "All right, ladies and gentlemen. We've had a bit of a hiccup, but the _new_ opposing counsel is on its way. What do you say we clear up some of the procedural matters while we wait. On the record," he said, nodding at the videographer, who punched start and put on her headphones. Akira's eyebrow twitched at his gambit, trying to start early so he had a chance at getting Kuwabara off guard, but he let Ogata take the lead. Turning to their deponent, Ogata recited his usual line. "The date is August 17, 2013, and the time is 9:30 AM. We are here for the deposition of Kuwabara Hitoshi in the matter of IGO Corp v. Umezawa Yukari. May I remind the witness that you are still under oath. You will be asked to swear that any testimony you give today is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge, and that no one involved has coerced you in any way. Please state your name and occupation for the record."

     The only thing the old man did was make a cutting gesture under his chin toward the videographer. Not a word passed his lips.

     Akira was narrowing his eyes. Ogata could feel the heat of it burning against his neck. No doubt the kid thought it was a bad idea to violate protocol -- and, strictly speaking, legality -- in asking for the camera to start, but Ogata kept staring down the old man. He was making a point. He intended for Kuwabara to hear it loud and clear. This was going to go at his pace, and no one else's.

     "Miss Asumi," Akira broke in. "Please stop the camera. We're going off the record."

     Well, well, the greenhorn had some bite. He supposed he should have expected that. Ogata nodded for her to follow Akira's instructions, and only once the camera was stopped did Kuwabara say anything.

     "I told you, not a word until opposing counsel gets here! This ain't my first deposition, sonny. I know my rights."

     "You haven't been accused of anything, Mr. Kuwabara. What you're exercising isn't the accused's right to an attorney."

     Sneering across the table, the old man pulled out a cigarette. "No, just my right to not have you make a fool of me."

     "No smoking in the building," Akira scolded them both, blocking Ogata's attempt to reach for his own cigarettes with a conveniently shoved pile of exhibit binders. "If you'd care to have a smoke while we wait for counsel to arrive, I'd be happy to escort you--"

     The door shot open, a blond-haired stranger bowling through, gasping, "Hi, everyone, sorry for the hold up!" while he tried not to drop a briefcase that had definitely seen better days.

     Harumi peeked in behind him, the smile on her face not quite hiding the grimace it was plastered over. "Mr. Ogata, opposing counsel has arrived. May I present Mr.--"

     "Shindou?!" Akira gasped, suddenly on his feet.

     The newcomer's eyes widened to cue balls, and he'd paused mid-step with his arm stopped in the middle of dropping his case on the table. "Touya... So, you mean... Touya and Ogata... that's Touya, like _you_ , Touya?! But--"

     "My father is the senior partner. But you--"

     "I did it, Touya. I decided to get my degree, I studied my ass off, and I passed the bar--"

     "Clearly."

     "And now I'm here. With you."

     "Shindou..."

     "Touya!"

     Now Ogata needed a drink, not a cigarette. Watching the two of them stare sparks across the table, silent now but no less intense, was hardly the kind of drama one wanted in a law firm. For crying out loud, Kuwabara was making that disgusting wheezing noise that passed for a chuckle, and the videographer was tastefully averting her eyes, while the two junior lawyers just kept staring.

     "Well..." Ogata said with a cough. "I think we should--"

     "Mr. Ogata," Akira snapped, "why don't we let Mr. Shindou have a moment to catch his breath and go over his information with the court reporter." The younger lawyer stalked into the hall like a man with every intention of being followed. At the rate this was going, neither he nor Kuwabara was going to end up setting the pace. But that was all right, too, as long as he had the person who was leading.

     What Ogata didn't account for was the way Akira wouldn't meet his eyes when he got into the hallway. Preoccupied was hardly a strong enough word for it.

     "What's wrong?"

     "Mr. Ogata, I need to recuse myself from this case. For. Personal reasons. My apologies." Then he tried to tear off towards his office.

     Ogata barely caught Akira's arm before the young man got away, but he held firm once he did. "Let me guess. You dated that Shindou kid in college."

     "How did you--?"

     "Really?" Ogata groaned. IGO's president owed him an entire case of beer. Did Akira think any part of that little drama had been subtle?

     More importantly, Akira had his jaw set firm, as if to say he couldn't be talked out of this. "I understand what my obligations are, Mr. Ogata. But I cannot allow myself to open this firm to allegations of compromised judgement, presenting cause to have this proceeding declared a mistrial. It's better that I go."

     "Not on your life. In fact, screw that. I'm making you lead counsel on this case." He reached for his cigarettes by habit, more comfortable having this sort of conversation with a roll of tobacco lit in his hands, but of course he'd left them in the table. Akira's wide, surprised eyes be damned, Matsukawa wouldn't have sent Shindou as a replacement if he were incompetent, but to Ogata, he was a total unknown. They didn't have the luxury of floundering. "I've seen married couples act as opposing counsel in the courtroom, Akira. You didn't invent the concept of wanting to sleep with the enemy, and I can't have a lawyer in this firm running scared every time a certain name comes up on the opposite bench."

     That got Akira snarling. "I'm not scared of Shindou."

     "Good. Because you've got a leg up on me in terms of knowing his style. I can't have that kid taking a left turn that throws me even for a second, not on this case. But he's not going to throw you, is he?"

     "No, sir!"

     "Good."

     The set of Akira's jaw said that running was the furthest thing from his mind now. And very likely, their opponent wouldn't give either. This one might just go to trial.

     Ogata followed more slowly while Akira stalked back into the room, all storm clouds and lightning. That was Touya Akira -- all or nothing.

     "Touya..." their opponent called as the master's son raged past without a glance.

     "We can talk after the trial, Shindou. Right now, I want you to come at me with everything you've got."

     Joining Akira in a world of their own, he growled back, "You bet I will." They didn't even notice Kuwabara laughing quietly, or Ogata rolling his eyes.


End file.
